Dvořák, Smetana, Janáček, Martinů – Czechia can boast a number of renowned figures from the past, but what about Czech music today? Alongside the classical greats, the contemporary music scene has much to offer: jazz musicians, film composers as well as world-class performers.
Bára Zmeková: The songwriter who puzzles narrow-minded critics
“Whenever you think you´ve found the word to describe her music it takes a turn into another direction,“ laments Thorsten Bednarz from Deutschlandradio Kultur. “That happens in my music” Bára Zmeková says. “I usually follow the song, I do not try to shape it.“ Do you want to know where her music leads her? Listen to the final episode of our podcast series Faces of Czech Music.
30 Nov 2024
Beata Hlavenková: the successful musician with a big wish
Pianist singer songwriter Beata Hlavenková shares her professional wish and industry insights, revealing the challenges of selling her unique music to agents and audiences.
26 Oct 2024
Jiří Trtík hailed as the most successful Czech composer of classical music outside of Czechia
"We all experience that in a certain way," says Jiří Trtík on why Kafka's Letter to his Father inspired him to write an opera celebrating one of the greatest and most intimate confessions in world literature. What makes Bedřich Smetana so special today? And why is the Vltava River not what it used to be? Listen to the newest episode of Faces of Czech Music.
28 Sept 2024
"Flow with it": Floex on his creative method
"I like the idea of diving into my music and flowing with it,“ says multimedia artist, composer and clarinettist Tomáš Dvořák, also known as Floex. Why are Czechs not "top of the list“ among his listeners? Who composed "Labero“ and would it make Maurice Ravel happy? And why is a clarinet not a saxophone? Listen to the latest episode of Faces of Czech Music.
24 Aug 2024
My dream was big enough to get me there: Pianist Tomáš Kačo on his outstanding success
Tomáš Kačo grew up in a community flat in Nový Jičín with 11 siblings and a broken piano. But he made it to the Berklee College of Music. He has no doubts about the man who gave him the necessary push saying “It was always my father´s dream to guide his kids towards a better future.” In this episode of the Faces of Czech Music, the pianist and composer shares his thoughts about his music, his marriage to an American-Korean colleague, and life in Los Angeles.
20 Jul 2024
“The best validation is a packed venue”: Lenny on measuring success
Maybe you’ve heard of Lenny because she’s the daughter of legendary Czech singer Lenka Filipová. But as we learned from the conversation you’re about to listen to, Lenny is a force of nature in her own right, taking popular Czech music by storm. On this episode of the Faces of Czech Music, the singer and songwriter opens up to us about how she loves to write her own music, the way she deals with criticism, and how she often feels more comfortable in English than in Czech.
22 Jun 2024
Nikol Bóková: The pianist and composer who wears many hats
To define Nikol Bóková as a pianist and composer would be far too simplistic. The rising star we present to you today has many more talents, as we learned through this conversation. Record label owner, film producer and lover of poetry and science fiction, Bóková’s many skills and interests intersect in her beautiful music. In this episode, we learn more about the musician‘s background, and the precise moment she realized she wanted to be a concert pianist.
25 May 2024
Daniel Matejča on coming into his own and developing his craft
19-year-old Daniel Matejča is perceived throughout Czechia as a bit of a wunderkind. Studying under the mentorship and guidance of famous Czech pedagogue Ivan Straus, Matejča has been playing the violin since he was four, has impressed audiences with his renditions of Bach classics, and has picked up winning titles such as the Eurovision Young Musicians contest in 2022. But underneath the mature and composed exterior is a young man who enjoys skateboarding, hip-hop, and travel. In our fifth episode of the Faces of Czech Music, we take you into Matejča’s world.
27 Apr 2024
Good things come in 4’s: The Kukal Quartet
Chamber music is a vital part of Czech musical traditions, and on this episode of the Faces of Czech Music, we sat down with four talented and bright young musicians who are adding their take on this classical genre. Together, Eliška Kukalová, Klára Lešková, Daniel Macho, and Filip Rufer form the Kukal Quartet, named after contemporary Czech composer, Ondřej Kukal (Eliška´s father). In this conversation, we speak with the foursome about how they work together, the skills they each bring to the ensemble, and why playing with four is better than performing solo.
23 Mar 2024
“Art can be uncomfortable” – Miroslav Srnka on pushing the boundaries of contemporary music
Arguably one of the most internationally renowned contemporary Czech composers, Miroslav Srnka has wowed audiences across the globe with his original and innovative operas. In 2016, Srnka debuted his double opera, South Pole, which tells the story of a 20th century arctic expedition – receiving outstanding reviews. In our third episode of the Faces of Czech Music, we learn more about the elusive man who often feels more comfortable outside of his native Czechia than in it, the inspiration behind some of his most recognized works, and how he believes today’s art is often softened for the masses.
24 Feb 2024
Meet the mezzo-soprano who wants to contemporize classical music, Bella Adamova
Mezzo-soprano, improviser, lover of Dvořák - it would be nearly impossible to put Bella Adamova into a box. A classically trained singer, Adamova was born in Grozny but grew up in Prague and spent years abroad completing her musical studies. To date, she’s released two albums alongside her collaborator and mentor Michael Gees, their latest one being There is Home (2023). On our second episode of the Faces of Czech Music, we learn about Adamova’s sources of inspiration, and how she hopes to engage younger generations in classical music.
27 Jan 2024
The electronic music virtuoso who owes his name to Radiohead, Aid Kid
Welcome to the Faces of Czech Music, the podcast where we introduce you to the fresh musical talent the country has to offer. On our first episode, we speak with musician, composer, producer, and DJ, Ondřej Mikula - better known as Aid Kid. Aid Kid is one of the country’s most popular electronic musicians - but as we discovered in this conversation, he’s so much more than that. From his collaboration with the Czech Radio Big Band musicians, to his work on the soundtrack for the 2022 film Arvéd, the introspective Aid Kid is a great example of a musician unbound by genre.
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